Overview

Comprehensive Description

Biology

Found solitary (Ref. 90102) in lagoon and sheltered seaward reefs in coral rich areas (Ref. 1602, 58652). Possibly to 120 m depths. Young is more inshore on sheltered reef crests or slopes, usually amongst soft corals or stinging hydrozoans (Ref. 48635). Feeds on hard-shelled mollusks, crustaceans, and sea urchins (Ref. 27550). The species is observed to swim with a group of goatfish and change its color to resemble these fish, it then darts out from the group to catch small fish (Ref. 2334). This species curiously approaches divers closely (Ref. 90102).

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Diagnostic Description

Differs from the very similar C. unifasciatus by always lacking the white bar in front of the caudal base as well as the area clear of red streaks extending from the eye to just above the pectoral axis (Ref. 1602).

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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

This species inhabits coral-rich areas of lagoon and sheltered seaward reefs, from three to possibly 120 m (Lieske and Myers 1994). It is solitary. Although it has been observed to swim with a group of goatfish, change its colour to resemble these fish, and dart out from the group to capture small fish (Randall et al. 1997).

CACCCTCTACCTTGTTTTTGGTGCCTGAGCTGGGATAGTGGGCACAGCCCTAAGCTTGCTTATTCGAGCAGAACTCAGTCAACCAGGAGCTCTTCTTGGAGACGACCAGATTTATAATGTAATCGTTACCGCCCATGCCTTCGTTATGATTTTCTTTATAGTAATGCCAATCATAATTGGAGGCTTTGGGAACTGACTTATTCCGTTAATGGTGGGAGCCCCCGATATGGCCTTCCCTCGGATAAACAATATGAGTTTCTGACTTCTACCCCCATCTTTCCTTCTCCTACTTGCCTCTTCTGGGGTAGAAGCAGGTGCCGGTACTGGATGAACAGTTTACCCCCCACTAGCGGGGAACTTAGCCCACGCCGGTGCGTCCGTAGACCTTACAATTTTCTCCCTGCACTTAGCAGGGATTTCCTCAATTCTGGGGGCCATCAATTTCATTACTACTATTATTAATATGAAGCCCCCCGCCATCACTCAGTACCAGACACCTCTGTTCGTATGGGCAGTCCTAATTACTGCAGTCCTCCTTCTCCTTTCTCTCCCTGTTTTGGCCGCTGGGATTACAATGCTCTTAACAGACCGCAACCTAAATACTACTTTCTTCGACCCGGCCGGTGGTGGGGACCCAATCCTCTACCAACATCTA-- end --

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Trends

Population

Population information for this species has occasionally been recorded. For instance, from a beam trawl survey in Tanzania, the density was reported to be 0.01 individual per 1,000 m2 in seagrass bed, which is less preferred habitat for this species (Gullström 2008), from a UVC using five 20 x 1 m belt transects, six individuals with size range 6-30 cm total length were sighted (Shibuno et al. 2008), and from a dive survey in the Solomon Islands, this species was reported to be a moderately common species (Allen 2006).

In Fiji, Tonga and New Caledonia, this species was commonly recorded, 187, 242 and 769 individuals were counted in various UVC surveys (M. Kulbicki pers. comm.). However, this species is not common in French-Polynesia, only five individuals were counted (M. Kulbicki pers. comm.).

On the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, a mean density of 0.7 individuals from twenty 50 m X 5 m transects was recorded in underwater fish visual surveys (Yusuf et al. 2002).

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Threats

There are no major threats to this species. This species is not considered as a food fish in Taiwan (Shao 2005), however, it may be utilized in subsistence fisheries. This species was reported to be collected for the aquarium trade in Mozambique (Whittington et al. 2000).

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Management

Conservation Actions

There are many marine protected areas throughout the distribution of this species. For example, it is known that this species occurs within the Kenting National Park of Taiwan (Shao 2005). However, specific management on this species is largely lacking throughout its range of occurrence.

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Wikipedia

Cheek-lined wrasse

The cheek-lined wrasse, Oxycheilinus digramma, is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can also be found in the aquarium trade. The fish grows to about 40 cm (16 in) in standard length. The side of the fish's head has horizontal stripes, while the front of the head has red spots. Coloring of the fish varies from pale gray to purple. Aquarium specimens are less tense than their wild counterparts.[2]

Oxycheilinus digramma lives in coral reefs, sheltered inland areas, and lagoons, possibly at depths from 3 to 60 m (9.8 to 196.9 ft).[3] This species eats sea urchins, molluscs, and crustaceans. It uses other fish as a moving blind to approach its prey.[2]